History of Norfolk County, Virginia : and representative citizens, 1637-1900, Part 73

Author: Stewart, William H. (William Henry), 1838-1912
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1054

USA > Virginia > City of Norfolk > City of Norfolk > History of Norfolk County, Virginia : and representative citizens, 1637-1900 > Part 73

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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

gathered about him once a week. There, be- side his own hearth, his ready wit. his kindly humor sparkled most brightly, and there flowed forth most evenly that speech accounted by many well worth the hearing. For his was also the art of listening: he not only led the expression of thought, but inspired it in others. His own roof-tree looked down upon James Barron Hope at his best and down upon a home in the sacred sense of the word, for he touched with poetry the prose of daily living and left to those who loved him the blessed legacy of a memory which death can not take from them.

I have said that in his early years okl Hampton claimed him. He became the son of the city of his adoption and sleeps among her dead.

CAPT. WILLIAM C. WHEELER.

Chief Engineer William C. Wheeler, who. died August 16. 1900, was a native of Ports- mouth. He entered the United States Navy in April, 1847, and was in the Mexican War. in Commodore M. C. Perry's squadron. He served on the coast survey and on the Euro- pean. West Indian. African and other stations. and in the expedition to Paraguay. He was on the U. S. frigate "San Jacinto" at the cap- ture of the British mail steamer, "Trent." with Mason and Slidell on board. He was chief en- gineer of the James River flotilla and of the fleet that went to the relief of Washington City when threatened. He also went out from New York for the builders in the Roval Italian iron-clad steamer, "King of Portugal." as the guarantee chief engineer. In the revenue cut- ter service he was a chief engineer, having srved as consulting and superintending engi- neer for service on the fleet afloat on the Great Lakes and on the coast of the United States. He was retired after a service of nearly 48 years, a veteran of two wars.

NAVAL CONSTRUCTOR GEORGE R. BOUSH.

Of Portsmouth, died in May, 1893. He was

appointed assistant naval constructor .August 5. 1869: was made naval constructor March 12, 1875, and was retired October 22, 1887. He married Miss Bilisoly. of Portsmouth, who survived him. He was, several years prior to his appointment master ship builder in the yard, and was well known by the okler generation.

CAPT. WALTER R. BUTT

Was born in Portsmouth December 10. 1839. At the early age of fifteen he was commisioned a midshipman in the United States Navy from Washington Territory. During his first cruise on the U. S. S. "Constellation," off the coast of Africa, he was promoted to lieutenant. be- ing at that period ( 1859) the youngest of that grade in the navy. During this cruise the "Constellation" captured a "slaver," which contained between 600 and 700 Africans, in- tended to be sold. This vessel was regularly. with its cargo, delivered to the United States agent at Monrovia. The Africans were liber- ated and the vessel sold as a lawful prize. The officers and seamen were entitled to a certain percentage of this prize money, payment of which was refused by the United States gov- ernment to the Southern officers and others. who subsequently resigned their commissions in 1861. Upon his return to the United States in Boston, believing his allegiance due his na- tive State, like many other Southern officers. he resigned his commission, and was thereupon imprisoned in Forts Lafayette and Warren, thence transferred to the U. S. S. "Congress." then lying in Hampton Roads. Being paroled and afterward exchanged. he entered the Con- federate States Navy as lieutenant and was ordered to the famous iron-clad. "Virginia." participating in the two memorable engage- ments between that vessel and the wooden feet and "Monitor" in Hampton Roads, re- maining with the "Virginia" until the evacua- tion of Norfolk and the destruction of that ves- sel by the Confederates. At the close of the

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war he became a captain in the Peruvian Navy and filled other prominent positions, visiting California, where he remained in the civil en- gineering service until his death, which oc- curred April 26, 1885.

LIEUT .- COL. WILLIAM FREDERICK NIEMEYER.

William Frederick Niemeyer was born in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, on the 12th day of May, 1840, and heroically met his death at the head of his regiment in the battle of Spottsylvania Court House, on the 12th day of May, 1864, his 24th birthday.

His great-grandfather, Hans Heinrich Nie- meyer, was born at Hoya, Germany, in 1734, and died in 1806.

His grandfather, John Christian Niemeyer, was born in 1776. at Verden, near Bremen, came to America at the age of 18 years, and in 1813 he married Ann McLean, his second wife, the grandmother of the subject of this sketch, at Moyock, in Currituck County, North Carolina.

His father, William Angus Niemeyer, who died February 3, 1900, was born April 28, 1816, and married Sarah Howard Chandler (now living) on the 31st day of July, 1839. She is a daughter of Joseph A. Chandler, who was one of the foremost citizens and most dis- tinguished lawyers of his day in Tidewater, Virginia.

Col. Niemeyer was the eldest of 12 chil- dren, three sisters and nine brothers. His brother, John Chandler Niemeyer, Ist lieu- tenant of Company I, 9th Regiment, Virginia Infantry, was killed in the famous charge of Pickett's Virginians at Gettysburg on the 3rd day of July, 1863.

William Frederick Niemeyer was a prom- ising child with the noblest predilections. On the death of his grandfather Chandler, when not quite eight years old. he wrote the follow- ing tender and touching letter of condolence to his grandmother :

MY DEAR GRANDMA :

April 16, 1848.

I am very sorry that grandpa died, but the Lord will take care of you; do not weep, he is in the arms of the Lord Jesus Christ ; he has got a crown of glory upon his head; he has an arm-chair, and he is singing and is shouting in glory. We must try to be good and when we die we may meet him there; he cannot come to us, but we can go to him if we are good. Your loving grandson. WILLIAM F. NIEMEYER.

He received the rudiments of his education in the schools of Portsmouth and at the Nor- folk Academy ; and upon the recommendation of Surgeon-General Lawson, United States Army, was appointed a cadet-at-large at West Point by President James Buchanan. His con- ditional appointment over the hand of Jefferson Davis, Secretary of War, was made on the 19th day of February, 1857, which directed that he should repair to West Point, in the State of New York, between the Ist and 20th of June, to be examined, and that under certain condi- tions in January next his warrant as a cadet, to be dated the 30th day of June, 1857, would be made. The conditions were fulfilled by credit- able examinations and excellent deportment, which secured the warrant as a cadet in the service of the United States, dated as prom- ised over the hand of John B. Floyd, Secretary of War, January 22, 1858. His course at the Military Academy was marked with credita- ble distinction; but the tocsin of war having sounded and although within a month of graduation he, with the heroic Gen. James Dearing, the dashing Gen. Thomas L. Ros- ser. and other noble spirits, left the Academy to give their services to their native States.

On May 1, 1861, John Letcher, Governor of Virginia, commissioned William Frederick, Niemeyer 2nd lieutenant in the Provisional Army of Virginia, and on May 9th he was or- dered by the Adjutant-General of Virginia to report to Maj .- Gen. Walter Gwynn, command- ing Virginia forces at Norfolk; thereupon General Gwynn, on the Ioth of May, ordered him to report to Col. R. E. Colston, under

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whom he served as drill master at the en- trenched camp. near Norfolk. On the 19th day of July. 1861, the President appointed him 2nd lieutenant, Corps of Artillery, in the Con- federate States Army, over the hand of L. P. Walker, Secretary of War. C. S. : and his res- ignation as 2nd lieutenant of the Provisional Army of Virginia was accepted, to take effect on the 25th of July.

Samuel M. Wilson, a prominent citizen of Portsmouth, having been authorized by the Secretary of War to organize a battalion or regiment for the service of the Confederate States, called to his assistance the promising young lieutenant whose military training was essential to Colonel Wilson's success.

PORTSMOUTH, VA., May 5, 1862 MAJOR WILLIAM F. NIEMEYER :

Sir: I hereby certify that at election hell for the office of Major of the Battalion or Regiment being raised by me for the service of the Confederate States, under authority of the War Department through letter of the Adjutant-General of the 6th of July, 1861, you have this day been duly elected Major of said Battalion or Regiment. and notice of your election has been sent to Major-General B. Huger. commanding Department of Norfolk, to whom you will report for duty.

I am very respectfully,

Your obedient servant, SAMUEL M. WILSON.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT, NORFOLK, May 6, 1862. Report to General Blanchard for duty with Wil- son's Battalion.

By order of General Huger. S. S. ANDERSON. Assistant Adjutant-General.

DEPARTMENT OF NORFOLK, HEADQUARTERS THIRD BRI- GADE. PORTSMOUTH, VA., May 6, 1862. Special Orders, No. 83.

I. Major William F. Niemeyer. Wilson's Battalion. having reported for duty to Brigade Headquarters by order of Major-General Huger. is assigned to the com- mand of the troops at Forrest Entrenchment.

By command of Brigade-General Blanchard, Com- manding Third Brigade.

W. L. RIDDICK, Assistant Adjutant-General.

DEPARTMENT OF NORFOLK, HEADQUARTERS THIRD BRI- GADE.

PORTSMOUTH. T'A., May 7, 1862.

Special Orders. No. 8.4.

II. Major William F. Niemeyer, Wilson's Battal- ion, will proceed to Pig Point and superintend the election of company officers for Company "H," Ninth

Virginia, Captain Neblett, and Sussex Defenders, Wil- son's Battalion, Captam Mason, to be held tomorrow, Sth instant, in accordance with provision of Conscript Act.

Major Niemeyer will furnish each officer then elected with a certificate of election, and duplicates must be sent to Adjutant and Inspector General's office. Richmond, through Brigade Headquarters.

By command Brigade-General Blanchard. Com- manding Third Brigade.

W. L. RIDDICK, Existant Adjutant-General. To MAJOR W. F. NIEMEYER,

Commanding Forrest Entrenchment.

Major Niemeyer, with his command, re- treated from Forrest Entrenchment, near Hall's Corner, in Western Branch, Norfolk County, on the Ioth of May. 1862, the day Norfolk and Portsmouth were evacuated, which he noted in his diary. "The saddest day of my life," and marched to Suffolk. On the IIth day of May, he left for Petersburg, via Weldon, where he arrived on the 13th, and assummed command of the city and the Depart- ment of Appomattox for a short while. On the 22nd day of May, 1862. the officers of the line assembled at Jarrett's Hotel. in Petersburg, under supervision of Maj. George W. Grice, assistant quartermaster. and elected field offi- cers of the Sixty-first Virginia Regiment In- fantry, as follows: Colonel. Samuel M. Wil- son; lieutenant-colonel, William F. Niemeyer ; major. William H. Stewart. Their commis- sions were issued on the 15th of July, 1862, by George W. Randolph. Secretary of War, to date from the 2211d day of May, 1862.

HEADQUARTERS. PETERSBURG, VA., August 23. 1862.

Pursuant to Special Order, Headquarters. Peters- burg. August 22d. the members of Board of Survey met this day at 12 M., and valued and mustered into Confederate service the following horses :

One roan mare, belonging to Lieutenant-Colonel William F. Niemeyer, valued at $175.

One bay horse, belonging to Major William H. Stewart, valued at $225.

( Signed ) LIEUTENANT CHARLES D. MYERS, A. D. C. JOHN A. BAKER, A. D. C. LIEUTENANT J. A. SHINGLEIN. A. D. C.

Detachments of the 61st Regiment. Vir- ginia Infantry, were sent from Petersburg to City Point, Port Walthall, and Point of Rocks,

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on the Appomattox River, below the city of Petersburg.

On the 3d of September the regiment was ordered to Richmond, and from thence to Brook Church, where it encamped until the 5th, when it was ordered to Rapidan Station to rebuild the railroad bridge. The army of Northern Virginia was then in Maryland, and on its return to Virginia, the 6Ist Virginia Regiment was assigned to Mahone's Brigade by order of General Lee.

Lieutenant-Colonel Niemeyer was in ac- tive command of the 61st Virginia Regiment from its organization until October, 1862, when its command devolved upon Col. V. D. Groner, selected to succeed Colonel Wilson, who had resigned.

Colonel Niemeyer was engaged in the bat- tles of Fredericksburg, Zoar Church, Mc- Carty's Farm. Chancellorsville, Salem Church, iGettysburg. Hagerstown, Bristoe Station, Mine Run, Wilderness, Shady Grove and Spottsyl- vania Court House. He was severely wounded in the ankle at Bristoe Station; and after hav- ing commanded his regiment in two brilliant and successful charges of the memorable 12th day of May, 1864, was killed by a sharpshooter in the shadow of that bloody day at Spottsyl- vania Court House. So fell a noble man, a brave soldier, a true citizen, who loved his country better than his life, and who was loved by his soldiers with brotherly devotion. His remains were sent to Richmond and buried in Hollywood Cemetery, where they now rest.

He married in Portsmouth on the 2nd day of January, 1862, Sarah Campbell Smith, who has, since the death of her husband, devoted her life to aiding the widows and orphans of Confederate soldiers, and in perpetuating mem- ories of the Lost Cause, with ardor and devo- tion, unflagging and fearless, as a true and faithful daughter of the Confederacy.

Stonewall Camp, Confederate Veterans, Portsmouth, Virginia, has on more than one occasion tendered to her unanimous vote of thanks in appreciation and gratitude for her invaluable services in its behalf, and she shall have the thanks and esteem of every individ- ual member as long as life lasts.

Colonel Niemeyer left one child-John Frederick Niemeyer.

NAVAL CONSTRUCTOR SAMUEL WILSON ARMI- STEAD,

A resident of Portsmouth, Virginia, died Jan- uary 27, 1895, from an accident at Mare Island Navy Yard, California. He was born in Sep- tember, 1861, and in 1879 stood a competitive examination for admission to the United States Naval Academy and passed among the first on the list. After graduating he again stood a competitive examination for a post- graduate course at the great shipyard of the British government at Greenwich, England, which course was inaugurated by this govern- ment for the brightest men in the Naval Acad- emy, and in this examination he was successful. After finishing his course he was assigned to the "New York" for about a year ; he was then ordered to the Quintard Yard, Boston, to su- perintend the construction of the United States cruiser, "Marblehead." He next went to New York in connection with the same ship, w! ich had been sent there for completion. His next duty was at the Norfolk Navy Yard in Ports- mouth, Virginia, where he remained only a few months, when he was ordered to Mare Isl- and Navy Yard, and there the accident oc- curred, caused by the breaking of hawser, which struck him with fatal effect. He was a man of brilliant culture, great skill and earnest devotion to duty.

CAPT. JOHN JULIUS GUTHRIE.

Representative Citizens

OHN JULIU'S GUTHRIE, who re- sides at Swimming Point, near Ports- mouth. Norfolk County, Virginia, is a native of Portsmouth, and a son of Capt. John Julius Guthrie.

Samuel Guthrie, the great-grandfather of our subject, served with two brothers in the Revolutionary War. Dr. John Wilburn Guth- rie, his son and grandfather of the present family. was a surgeon in the 2nd Regiment of North Carolina during the war of 1812. He owned an elegant home at Washington, North Carolina, and was a well-known physician of his day, with a large practice, a cultured and influential gentleman.

Capt. John Julius Guthrie, his son, was born April 15. 1815. and entered the United States Navy in 1834 as a midshipman, in which service he attained high distinction both in time of war and peace. A brief sketch of his interesting life, written by one familiar with his career and character, appeared in the Norfolk Daily Landmark, December 2. 1877. and is as follows :

"The subject of this brief memoir was born in a State prolific in brave men, having first seen the light in Washington. North Carolina. where his father. Dr. J. W. Guthrie, U. S. Army, resided. His early education was care- fully directed. and was partly acquired at the University of Chapel Hill. In 1833 he was appointed a cadet at West Point, but after a year's instruction at that famous school he re- ceived an appointment in the navy, which he

entered as midshipman in 1834. He was or- dered to the sloop-of-war "John Adams,' bound to the Mediterranean, where that ship joined the squadron under command of Commodore Paterson. The name of that officer will readily be recalled by those who were intimate with the lamented Guthrie, and the impressions made then on his youthful mind are explained by the fact that he traveled with the Commo- dore's family through a great part of Europe. and in their company made a journey to the Holy Land.

"On his return from Europe he was or- dered ( 1838) to join the frigate 'Columbia." Commodore Reed, and in her sailed from this port for China. At the expiration of three years he returned to the United States and passed his examination with credit. In 1840 he was married in Portsmouth to Louisa S. Spratley, who survived him 24 years. He then served in the 'Pennsylvania' ( receiving- ship). the steamers 'Poinsett.' 'Macedonia.' sloop-of-war 'Warren.' steamers 'Huron' and On-ka-Hve' (commanded by Lieut. Arthur Sinclair, whose name is still dear to many hearts in this city). and from her he was transferred ( 1845) to the 'Flirt' ( always asso- ciated here with the celebrated Jack Davis). In this vessel Guthrie sailed for the Gulf of Mexico, where he served through the Mexican War, his vessel performing varied and arduous services as a member of the squadron blockad- ing Vera Cruz.

"At the end of the war he returned to the

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United States, and after a short time of service he was ordered to the frigate 'Brandywine,' destined for the Brazils, where he spent three years under Commodore Storer. who con- manded the squadron. He was again ordered to that station ( 1852), and while engaged in this duty he translated a history of Brazil, the manuscript of which was lost at sea while en route to the publishers. On his return to the United States, he was ordered to report for duty at the U. S. Naval Observatory under Capt. Mathew Fontaine Maury, and was for two years in the full enjoyment of the confi- dence and affection of that great man, who organized this branch of the public service. When detached from the observatory he re- ported to Captain Biglow ( 1855), on board the 'Levant' under orders for the East Indies.

"Captain Guthrie's second visit to the coast of China was destined to be far more ex- citing than that previously recorded, for it was then that the Anglo-French war occurred, in which the Chinese at the Barrier Forts, on the Canton River, were attacked by our naval forces as the American flag had been wantonly fired upon by these infuriated Celestials. Reparation for this outrage having been re- fused, the gallant Foote, afterward au admiral, got the 'Plymouth' and 'Levant' into position, and under a heavy fire from their batteries landed a force of seamen and marines. One division of the stormers was commanded by Guthrie and his splendid valor carried him foremost of them all up the beach, where, after a fierce struggle, the Chinese were driven back, and hanled down their ensign with his own hands. Previous to this assault, Lieuten- ant Guthrie, as a volunteer, had made by night a close reconnoisance of the forts, four in number, which had been well and skillfully constructed by European engineers according to the best methods then known to military men.

"Early in April, 1858, he arrived at Bos- ton, in the 'Levant.' and was granted the cus- tomary three months' leave. During this time

he presented the flag he had captured at the Barrier Forts to his native State, which had voted him a sword of honor for his conspicu- ous gallantry in the assault by which they were carried. Passing over minor details of routine service, we resume the thread of his eventful life.on board the sloon-of-war 'Saratoga,' un- der Commander Alfred Taylor, under orders from Philadelphia for Africa. While cruising along that desolate and torrid coast, informa- tion was received that a large ship. freighted with 900 slaves, was up the Congo River, and that her captain, a notoriously daring man, was resolved never to be captured. An expe- dition was at once fitted out against this enemy of humanity, and Lieutenant Guthrie, then the executive officer of the 'Saratoga,' having picked the officers and men of the detachment, undertook the desperate enterprise.

"In this he was successful. The slaves were liberated in Liberia, and Lieutenant Guth- rie brought the slaver 'Nightingale' to the United States as a prize. He reached New York in July, 1861, and found the Republic convulsed by civil war.

"Here he met his old friend Captain Foote, who said to him, 'Guthrie, I hope you will re- main in the service.' To which our dead friend made the characteristic answer, 'I shall do that which my conscience enjoins on me, as I un- derstand my duty.' 'I know you will,' was Foote's reply, and this was all that passed be- tween those brave seamen and lifelong friends on the mournful topic of Guthrie's resigna- tion."

The "Nightingale" was the last slaver ever captured by an American war-ship and this occurred April 21, 1861. She was owned, manned and equipped in Boston, Massachu- setts, and a Southern officer captured her after the war between the States had virtually com- menced.

Lieutenant Guthrie accepted a commission as captain in the Confederate States Navy, and served with gallantry until the close of the war. In 1875 he was appointed by President

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Grant as general superintendent and disburs- ing agent of the life-saving stations on the coast of North Carolina and Virginia. He was drowned November 25, 1877, in his noble and heroic attempt to save the lives of those on board the U. S. man-of-war "Huron," stranded off Kitty Hawk Beach, North Caro- lina.

Captain Guthrie married a daughter of Capt. Benjamin Spratley, who was a soldier in the War of 1812. Captain Spratley's wife was a daughter of Dr. William C. Schutte, a French Rovalist and refugee from San Domingo. The widow of Captain Guthrie died in 1900, aged nearly 78 years. She was a most excellent and lovable lady, highly gifted, refined and accom- plished. Of 10 children born to this union, seven reached maturity, and six are now living. as follows: Dr. Joseph A., U. S. Navy, who two years ago left the United States as sur- geon of the flag-ship "New York," and is now in charge of the U. S. Naval Hospital as Isa- bela, Island of Basilan, Philippine Islands ; Mary Louisa : Annette Caroline; Elizabeth Jo- anna. wife of Hubert D. Ward: Jeanne Agnes ; and John Julius, the oldest surviving child. The five last named all reside at the old home- stead at Swimming Point.

Captain Guthrie was a Christian gentleman of rare intellectual attainments, polite, gentle and kind-he controlled his men by the force of a gallant example and his own heroic bear- ing. Many of our present admirals served un- der him as junior officers, and it is safe to say that all would testify to his uniform kindness and genuine worth. He was always consider- ate of his inferiors and while enforcing disci- pline was never abusive or exacting.

Benjamin Wilbur Guthrie, oldest son and first born child of Captain Guthrie, died in New York City. April 21. 1895. Early in 1861, he entered the Confederate army, where he served until after the Seven Days' battle around Richmond, when he was appointed lieu- tenant in the navy and ordered to Charleston,

South Carolina, and was there on the "Pal- metto State," an iron-clad gunboat, when that city was evacuated. At the termination of the war, after remaining a few months at home, hie removed to New York City, engaged in the wall-paper business, married and resided there until his death. His widow survives him.

When a boy, John Julius Guthrie, Captain Guthrie's namesake and oldest surviving son, lived at Portsmouth, Virginia, and at Wash- ington, D. C., from 1853 to 1861, when he re- turned to his native city. He was a midship- man in the service of the Confederate States Navy from 1861 until 1865 and during that time was captured at Island No. 10, and sent to the prison at Sandusky, Ohio. At the close of the war he returned to Portsmouth and for a number of years traveled from Baltimore, New York and Louisville, Kentucky. For the past few years he has made his home at Swim- ming Point. This home is an old colonial brick house and was built by Col. William Craford, to whom the land upon which Ports- mouth now stands was granted by royal pat- ent in 1716 by King George I. Colonel Cra- ford founded and laid out Portsmouth after his own native city-Hull, England, and this mansion house on his plantation, the present home of the Guthrie family-was erected in 1735, or thereabouts. It is beautifully and pic- turesquely located on the Elizabeth River, op- posite Norfolk. A view of this home is shown on page 168 of this work. This building is referred to on page 26 of this history and is also mentioned in and in connection with the will of Colonel Craford in Chapter XXII.

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History of Norfolk County, Virginia : and representative citizens, 1637-1900, Part 73

Author: Stewart, William H. (William Henry), 1838-1912 Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1054

Author: Stewart, William H. (William Henry), 1838-1912
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1054